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Education expert to discuss school reform, April 6

Posted April 2, 2004; 10:16 a.m.

by tbartus

A lecture on "Common Sense School Reform" is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 6, in 16 Robertson Hall.

Speaking will be Frederick Hess, resident scholar and director of education policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute and executive editor of the journal Education Next. He is known for his work on a diverse range of educational issues, including urban education, accountability, charter schooling and school vouchers, educational politics, teacher and administrative licensure, local governance, competition and school improvement.

In his latest book, "Common Sense School Reform" (Palgrave, 2004), Hess criticizes the conventional "status quo" reform efforts and strategies that rest on solutions such as class size reduction, small schools and enhanced professional development. He maintains that real improvement requires common sense reforms that create a culture of competence by rewarding excellence, punishing failure and giving educators the freedom and flexibility to do their work.